Portret van Johanna Christina Hora Siccama-Eytelwein 1835

This portrait of Johanna Christina Hora Siccama-Eytelwein was created by Joseph Kayser in the nineteenth century. Her elaborate headwear, adorned with floral ornamentation, echoes symbols of purity, virtue, and celebration. Consider the floral wreath, a motif transcending epochs. In ancient Greece, wreaths crowned victors and deities, signs of honor and divine favor. Yet, these symbols evolve. In Renaissance paintings, floral garlands often framed the Virgin Mary, signifying her purity and spiritual authority. Here, this garland is not a sign of victory or divinity, but rather domesticity and celebration. Such symbols also undergo a psychological transformation. The collective memory embedded in these forms surfaces subconsciously, engaging viewers with deep, historical, and emotional associations. The circular form evokes wholeness, protection, and eternal return. The garland reminds us that symbols, like rivers, follow a cyclical course, resurfacing, evolving, and gathering new meanings as they cascade through time.